Wednesday, 17 September 2014

I usually serve this dish as a whole fish complete with head
and tail. The sauce is poured over the fish after steaming it and then
sprinkled with chopped coriander and spring onions. I always make extra
sauce because my husband likes to pour the sauce over steamed rice.

A meal of Chinese steamed fish can be as common as an
American spaghetti in some Cantonese households. A white fish is steamed, then
topped with green onion, ginger, soy and hot oil. The first time I tried
steamed fish was at a formal Chinese banquet, a whole rock cod was prepared and
shared between 8 people. Serve yourself from between the pin bones and then
spin the lazy Susan to the next person. Though the simplest of many memorable
dishes, the steamed fish stuck with me because of it’s rich flavor.

Ingredients:

1 small whole white fish (gutted) or 2 white fish fillets
such as tilapia or snapper

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cooking wine (optional)

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon ginger

5 green onions, finely sliced and divided in half

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Method:

If you are starting with a fillet…

Preheat oven to 425F. This can be done in a bamboo steamer
similar to below, but it is easier en papillote. Get yourself a large piece of
parchment paper and fold it in half. Pat the fish dry and remove any bones.
Sprinkle all over with salt and place on in the center of one half of the
parchment. Sprinkle the fish with the cooking wine. Working from one end of the
parchment, fold it over and roll it up and along to form a sealed parchment
bundle - en papillote. Place in a oven on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12
minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish. Remove from the oven, open
parchment and transfer gently to a plate including any juice. Top with half of
the green onion.

If you want to steam it whole the more traditional way…

Pat the fish dry inside and out. Sprinkle all over with
salt. Slash the sides of the fish just into the flesh a few times on each side.
It will help with even cooking. Place the fish on a plate and into a bamboo
steamer. Fill a wok with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer. Add the
steamer on top and steam for 10 minutes. Watch the water so it doesn't
evaporate and top up if necessary. Remove fish and pour off any liquid on the
plate with the fish. Top with half of the green onion.

Now, either way, finish with sauce…

Add oil to a very small saucepan and turn on to high, when
it starts to smoke add ginger and remaining green onions, cook for 30 seconds
or until fragrant. Remove from heat and add sesame oil and soy sauce. Pour over
fish.